After completing a member survey, Downtown Lawrence Inc. has offered its support for the move of the Saturday Farmers’ Market to the larger lot on the west side of New Hampshire between 8^th and 9^th Streets.

At the February General Membership meeting of DLFM, vendors approved the separation of the Saturday market from the weekday market with the intention of providing the Saturday market with room to grow.

In March, the City of Lawrence’s Farmers’ Market Task Force requested that we seek approval from DLI concerning the use of the New Hampshire site beginning with the 2006 market season. John Pendleton presented the proposed move to the DLI Board in June. The DLI Board requested that Maria Martin survey the members of the merchants association to gauge support for the 2006 Saturday market move.

Results of the survey were overwhelmingly positive with a 25 to 1 ratio of members in support of the market’s new location for Saturday.

DLFM task force members hope to bring the move before the Lawrence City Commission in August. The opportunity to publicize the Saturday market move during the current season will be crucial in notifying our shoppers of the relocation for 2006.

DLFM has received a $2500 From the Land of Kansas Business Enhancement Grant for FY 2006 to celebrate the market’s 30^th Anniversary and promote the proposed Saturday market move to New Hampshire Street. Included in the grant are funds for market signs at the new location.